DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Gun shows have garnered more attention in the wake of last month’s tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. But two gun shows will be held in Dallas this weekend, as well as one in Weatherford, and attendance at the shows is expected to be high — perhaps even record-breaking. Last month’s gun show in Fort Worth saw massive crowds despite being held just days after the Newtown shooting.

As the debate over gun control intensifies, so does the sale of guns. The AR-15 semi-automatic weapon is in particularly high demand this year, with many gun sellers struggling to keep them in stock.

According to the Dallas Safari Club, the number of new hunters has been steadily rising in the last few years. The group estimates that more than 1.1 million Texans are now active hunters — more than any other state.

A survey conducted days after the devastating mass shooting in Connecticut found that 58 percent of American adults support stricter laws covering the sale of firearms — up from 43 percent in 2011 — while 34 percent believe that the laws should be kept as they are now. Another 6 percent believe that the laws need to be less strict.

The survey also showed that 51 percent of the respondents opposed a ban on semi-automatic weapons while 44 percent voiced support for a ban.